Media Information

 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Title:
NIMS G1 Observation of Europa
Original Caption Released with Image:
The Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) on the Galileo spacecraft imaged most of Europa, including the north polar regions, at high spectral resolution at a range of 156,000 km (97,500 miles) during the G1 encounter on June 28 1996. The image on the right shows Europa as seen by NIMS, centered on 25 degrees N latitude, 220 W longitude. This is the hemisphere that always faces away from Jupiter. The image on the left shows the same view point from the Voyager data (from the encounters in 1979 and 1980). The NIMS image is in the 1.5 micron water band, in the infrared part of the spectrum. Comparison of the two images, infrared to visible, shows a marked brightness contrast in the NIMS 1.5 micron water band from area to area on the surface of Europa, demonstrating the sensitivity of NIMS to compositional changes. NIMS spectra show surface compositions ranging from pure water ice to mixtures of water and other minerals which appear bright in the infrared.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA'is Office of Space Science, Washington, DC.

This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.n asa.gov.
Addition Date:
1998-03-26
Produced By:
JPL
Mission:
Galileo
Spacecraft:
Galileo Orbiter
Target Name:
Europa
Is a satellite of:
Jupiter
Instrument:
Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
Product Size:
1279 samples x 676 lines
Primary Data Set:
Galileo EDRs
Producer ID:
MRPS76902
facet_what:
Jupiter
facet_what:
Voyager
facet_what:
Galileo
facet_what:
Galileo Orbiter
facet_what:
Polar
facet_what:
Spectrometer
facet_what:
Europa
facet_what:
Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS)
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where:
Jupiter
facet_where:
Europa
facet_where:
Washington
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_when:
1979
facet_when:
June 28 1996
facet_when_year:
1979
facet_when_year:
1996
Image #:
PIA00834
UID:
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00834
orignial url:

NIMS G1 Observation of Europa